Garvin Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Garvin last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Garvin last name
Meaning of the Garvin last name: rough. Garvin is an Irish surname from Ó Gairbhín, 'descendant of Gairbhín', a personal name built on garbh, 'rough'. The last name is found mainly in Ulster and Connacht, and also in Scotland. A curious detail: the same word garbh sits behind Irish place names such as Garvagh, 'rough field'.
Arms associated with the Garvin name
Coats of arms associated with the Garvin surname follow English heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Garvin family history
This is only a glimpse of the Garvin story. The full Garvin history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Garvin coat of arms. Get the full Garvin report.
Garvin name FAQ
What does the Garvin name mean?
Rough. Common variants include Garven, Garvan.
Where does the Garvin surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Garvin coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Garvin coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).